WRANGLER TALKING POINTS CARBON COUNTY 2017
Grasses G1 basin wildrye PNCD - Leymus cinereus - Bunchgrass with short, thick rhizomes. This grass is very tall (3-7 FT.). There is more than one spikelet at each node on the seedhead. Glumes are bristle-like. Leaf blades are wide and flat. Auricles and ligules are prominent. Grows in deep soils, saline overflow and saline subirrigated sites. Growing points are elevated, so heavy grazing hurts this plant. G2 blue grama PNWI - Bouteloua gracilis - Sod-forming grass with short rhizomes. Has short, green leaves that curl and turn brown in the fall. Has hair at the collar. Note that unlike buffalo grass, blue grama does not have hair on the surface of the leaves. Has eyebrow-shaped seedheads. Grows on dry hills and plains and often forms dense mats. G3 Blue bunch wheatgrass PNCD - Pseudoroegneria spicata State grass of Montana. Bunchgrass habit. It has fine, narrow, in-rolled leaves that grow from the base of the plant. There are small auricles at the collar. The spike seedhead is slender with spikelets barely overlapping along the rachis (1/8 inch overlap). There are 4-8 florets per spikelet. Lemmas are awned with the awns bending at 45-90 degree angles when mature. G4 - cheatgrass brome - AICV - Bromus tectorum - A small, bunchgrass that is a winter annual, also known as "downy brome". It germinates in the fall, over-winters as a rosette, and resumes growth in the spring. Roots pull easily. This plant produces much seed. It has a closed, hairy leaf sheath and a small jagged, ligule. (Note: All bromes have a closed leaf sheath.) The panicle seedhead is open and drooping. The plant turns reddish-purple with maturity. Lemmas are narrow, and conspicuously awned. Cheatgrass grows on disturbed upland sites and is easily confused with Japanese brome, which has inflated spikelets. G5 crested wheatgrass PICV Agropyron cristatum - A bunchgrass introduced from Russia for hay and pasture. It is very drought resistant. Leaves bend away from the stems at 45 degree angles. Leaves are a deep green color. Small, clasping auricles are present. Spikelets lay flat to the rachis of the spike seedhead and overlap, appearing crowded. There are 3-8 florets/spikelet. G6 - Fendler threeawn - PNWI - Aristida fendleriana - Bunchgrass, leaves curled to strait, ligules hairy, inflorescence open to contracted panicle, first glume 1/2 the length of the second. Widespread especially on sandy or gravelly soils. Fendler threeawn can be distinguished from red threeawn by the short curly mostly basal leaves only 1/4 as stems and lemmas with relatively robust awns. 1
Grasses G7 foxtail barley PNCI Hordeum jubatum - A tufted bunchgrass that is sometimes considered a weed. It likes to grow in saline seeps and on disturbed sites. Young leaf sheaths are split and hairy. The leaves are deeply veined. Auricles are absent or very small and the ligules are short (1mm) and membranous. Spike seedheads have three spikelets per node or joint. There are 7 long, barbed awns at each node. The awns can injure grazing animals. G8 green needlegrass PNCD Nassella viridula - A perennial bunchgrass that grazing animals prefer. It has large leaves that grow from the base of the plant. The backs of the leaves are very shiny. The throat of the leaf collar is hairy. There are not very many seedheads per plant (1-3) and the seedheads are taller than the leaves. The panicle seedhead has one floret per spikelet with a 1 to 1 ½ inch awn. Prefers deep, clay-textured soils and overflow sites. G9 - Idaho fescue - PNCI - Festuca idahoensis - A bunchgrass with mostly basal leaves. Leaves are very fine, bluish green colored, tightly rolled leaves with no auricle or ligules present. The roots are black. Most commonly found in upland sites receiving 14 or more inches of precipitation. Seedheads have a short awn or lemma. G10 Indian ricegrass PNCD Achnatherum hymenoides - A tufted bunchgrass that prefers sandy soils. It has long, in-rolled leaf blades. The ligules are long and split at the tips. The panicle inflorescence is white and unique because it branches in pairs of two (dichotomous). Each spikelet has one awned floret, surrounded by white hair. The awn falls off at maturity (deciduous). The floret is round and black colored. Indians ground the seeds into flour. This grass is a useful forage species for livestock and wildlife. G11 - Japanese brome - AICV - Bromus japonicus - Shallow-rooted, winter annual, coolseason bunchgrass. Inflorescence is an open, nodding panicle. Awns are attached to the back of the blunt lemmas. This grass can be confused with cheatgrass, but the seedheads of Japanese brome are heavier, broader and have shorter awns. 2
Grasses G12 Kentucky bluegrass PICV Poa pratensis - A sod-forming grass commonly planted in lawns. It likes moist sites, has a shallow root system and is very palatable. Leaf tips are boatshaped/keeled. The two veins down the midrib of the leaf are sunken and look like railroad tracks. Seedheads are triangular-shaped panicles. The spikelets are compressed (flattened). The glumes are nearly equal and membranous. There are generally 3 florets per spikelet. If you pull the florets away from the glumes, you can see cobwebby hairs. Ligules are short, flattopped and membranous. Compare to the ligules of Sandberg bluegrass which are pointed. G13 needle and thread PNCI Hesperostipa comata - Medium-stature bunchgrass. Leaves are blue/green, narrow and rolled. Leaf sheaths are open. Ligules are split (bunny ears). Seedheads are loose panicles. Glumes are large, almost equal and membranous. There is one floret per spikelet. The floret is sharp like a needle and awned (thread). The awn is long and twice bent. This grass grows on a wide variety of range sites, but does not prefer clay-textured soils. It is palatable and used by grazing animals early in the growing season and late in the fall, when the needles are not formed or have dropped to the ground. G14 prairie Junegrass PNCI Koeleria macrantha - A small, perennial bunchgrass. Leaves are basal and 2-4 inches tall. The leaf veins are prominent. Some varieties of junegrass have hairy leaves. This grass has no auricles and just a tiny ligule. It is called the Plain Jane grass. The compact panicle seedheads stand upright. If you bend the panicle, it will split into a hand and thumb. During flowering, the panicle spreads out and looks much larger. This often confuses people. Spikelets are small with 2+ florets. The glumes are membranous and unequal. G15 - prairie sandreed - PNWD - Calamovilfa longifolia - Tall, coarse, stemmy, open sod forming grass found on sandy soil in dry areas. The rhizomes are scaly. Leaf blades are rigid, hairless, and tapered to a drawn out tip. Ligule is short and hairy. the collar is hairy inside. Inflorescence is a panicle. G16 quackgrass PICV Elymus repens - An introduced grass that likes to grow in ditches, roadsides or near cultivated fields. Plants are rhizomatous. Leaf sheaths are open and smooth. Leaves are finely veined and auricles are small and not well developed. Spike seedheads can be 10-15 cm long with 3-7 flowers per spikelet. Glumes are usually awn-tipped. 3
Grasses G17 - Red threeawn - PNWI - Aristida longiseta - This is a medium-sized, densely tufted bunchgrass that acts as an invader on some range sites. Leaves are fine and in-rolled. There is long hair at the collar region. Glumes are unequal. There is one floret per spikelet. The lemma tips split to form three awns, which turn red as the plant matures. Red threeawn grows on plains, foothills and dry mountain slopes throughout Montana. Livestock or wildlife do not usually graze this grass. It reportedly contains silica, which is irritating to grazing animals. G18 Sandberg bluegrass PNCI Poa secunda - A small-stature bunchgrass that flowers early in the spring. It has very short basal leaves. Seedhead culms are taller than the leaves. Like other bluegrasses, it has 2 sunken veins in the middle of each leaf (railroad tracks), and keeled leaves. The ligule is sharp-pointed. Seedhead is a panicle. The spikelets are long and pointed, with unequal glumes and 3-5 florets. There are no cobwebs at the base of the florets as in Kentucky bluegrass. G19 slender wheatgrass PNCD Agropyron trachycaulum - Cool season perennial bunchgrass. One spikelet per node, spikelets are 3-7 flowered. The glumes are strongly nerved. Grows in two strongly marked forms bearded and beardless (subspecies) beardless with awns up to 4 mm long, bearded with awns 4 to 30 mm long. The combination of (1) no rhizomes, (2) the spikelets overlapping about half their length in the spike, (3) the prominent glumes with bodies strongly nerved and two thirds to fully as long as the spikelet s distinguishes it from other similar species. G20 Smooth brome PICV Bromus inermis - Smooth brome is an introduced, rhizomatous grass commonly planted for hay or pasture forage. Leaf sheaths are closed. Leaf blades are long, wide and taper to a point. There is a crimp on the leaf blade where it exits the collar. There is also an M/W crimp about mid-way up the leaf. The ligules are small and membranous. There are no auricles. Seedheads are panicles, which open and turn light brown as the seedhead matures. Glumes are membranous, shorter than the florets and unequal. Florets number 5-13. G21 - thickspike wheatgrass PNCI Elymus lanceolatus This species is v ery similar to western wheatgrass. Thickspike occurs as single stems from rhizomes but can appear to have a bunch habit. Spike inflorescences are compact, with the lemmas sometimes bearing a short awn. The lemmas are hairy, which distinguished it from western wheatgrass. Leaf sheaths may also be pubescent. G22 - timothy PICV Phleum pratense Timothy is an introduced bunchgrass. Seed head is a tight cylindrical panicle and may be as much as six inches long. The glumes are equal, bristly on back and awned. Stems are swollen or bulblike at the base. Leaf blades fairly wide and light green and often crimped at the collar. A membranous ligule is present. Timothy is found in moist sites. 4
Grasses G23 western wheatgrass PNCI Pascopyrum smithii - A common rhizomatous grass of Montana rangelands. This grass has prominent, clasping auricles that are often colored purple. Leaves are rigid and very rough textured because of the prominent nerves. The seedhead is a spike. The spikelets have unequal glumes and approximately 5 florets. Grows on a variety of range sites, but prefers clay-textures soils. It is palatable to grazing animals. 5
Grass-Likes GL1 Baltic rush PNCD - Juncus balticus - A rhizomatous rush that grows up 8-32 inches tall. You might need a hand lens to study the seedhead. The inflorescence is a panicle, about 2 ½ inches long. The flowers are very small. Flower parts are bract-like and in series of three. The perianth (sepals and petals) is purplish/brown in color with green midribs. The edges of the perianth are white and papery. The 3-celled seed pods/capsules are brown and egg-shaped. The tips of the capsules are sharp-pointed. The capsules break open when ripe, and contain many tiny, tiny seeds. There is also a long, green bract that grows straight up and extends beyond the seedhead. This makes the inflorescence appear to grow in the middle of the stem. The dark green stems are smooth, round and pithy. Leaves are basal and reduced to sheaths. Rhizomes are strong, extensive and dark-colored. The nickname for this plant is wire rush, because the stems are so tough. It is palatable early in the growing season and fairly resistant to grazing because of its rhizomatous nature. GL2 needleleaf sedge PNCI Carex duriuscula - A sod-forming sedge with slender, brown rhizomes. This sedge is low growing and rather inconspicuous. It seems to prefer better soils and wetter sites than its relative, threadleaf sedge. On many needleleaf sedge plants you will notice that there are only three prominent leaves. This is a fairly reliable characteristic. There are 4-8 spikes that form a head on the seed culm. The spikes are arranged so close together that they look like just one spike. Each spike has male and female flowers with the male flowers are above the female flowers. The female flowers have two stigma and produce lensshaped achenes. 1
GL3 threadleaf sedge - PNCI Carex filifolia Threadleaf sedge grows in a tufted, bunch habit. Like plains muhly, it often forms a circular pattern as the middle of the plant gets old and dies. The roots are black and wiry. Narrow, threadlike leaves grow from the base of the plant. The leaf sheaths are filamentose (shredded) and rust-colored. Seed culms are narrow and triangle-shaped. It is hard to feel or see the triangle because the stems are so narrow. There is only one spike per seed culm. The upper part of the spike is male, the lower part is female. The flowers have 3 stigmas and so the seeds (achenes) are triangle shapes. The perigynia is obovoid and inflated. The beak of the perigynia is very short. Cacti C1 prickly pear PNXI Opuntia polyacantha - This cactus has flatten, jointed, succulent stem segments with spines over the entire surface. They have short lived fleshy, conical leaves. The flowers appear May- June and are yellow to pink to red. Fruits are greenish, fleshy, and spiny. 2
Half-Shrubs, Shrubs and Trees S1 - big sagebrush - PNWI - Artemisia tridentata - Stems are woody with growth rings. Leaves are covered with hair and appear silver-gray. Leaves are also three-tipped or "three-toed." Flowers are heads. Deep tap root, no rhizomes. Evergreen shrub. Important winter browse species for a variety of rangeland animals. S2 broom snakeweed PNWI Gutierrezia sarothrae - Low compact sub shrub with single to several stemmed base, erect fine branches arise and re-branch to from a dense crown, twigs green to brown. Leaves simple alternate, linear 1.5 to 4 cm. Flower heads tiny, numerous, in flat topped clusters yellow when in full bloom. S3 chokecherry PNCDP Prunus virginiana - Large shrub or small tree often forming thickets. The bark is dark, red- brown. Twigs are red- brown with many white lenticels. Leaves are alternate and simple with serrulate margins. Flowers are in rather dense drooping racemes. Fruit is like a miniature cherry, round dark purple to nearly black when ripe. S4 creeping juniper PNXX Juniper horizontalis - Is an evergreen, mat forming shrub that roots along the branches. Leaf color is highly variable from blue to dark green. Leaves are small, opposite, imbricate (overlapping) and scale like. This juniper produces cones that are powdery blue and berry-like. S5 currant species PNCI Ribes spp. Shrubs. Leaves alternate, lobed, maple-like often more than 1 per node, paler beneath. Flowers are regular, bisexual, 5 petals. Fruits is a many seeded berry. Gooseberry bushes have spiny twigs, currant bushes are unarmed. 1
Half-Shrubs, Shrubs and Trees S6 Douglas fir PNXX Pseudotsuga menziesii - Coniferous tree, 25-40 meters tall. Irregular branches, spreading or drooping, tipped with pointed, shiny, reddish-brown buds. The bark is thin and smooth when young and is 8-20 cm thick with cork like ridges and vertical cracks when mature. The needles are flat and often arranged in 2 rows (on each side of the branch). The cone scales are stiff androceded by prominent 3-toothed bracts (cat haunches and tail). S7 fringed sagewort PNWI Artemisia frigida - Is a warm season shrub with a tap root. It reproduces by seeds. Stems grow above the leaves and often persist from the previous year. The simple, alternate leaves look fringy because they are divided. Seedheads can be in panicles or racemes that bear yellow disk flowers. The flowers bow their heads late in the season. Fringed sagewort is aromatic and is a staple of many wildlife species. S8 - limber pine - PNXX - Pinus flexilis - Bark is light grey, nearly smooth become dark brown and cross-checked in age into scaly plates and ridges. Needles are 5 per fascicle spreading to upcurved and ascending. Margins finely serrulate. Evergreen with dark green leaves. Cones are reddish or yellow when in flower. S9 - narrowleaf cottonwood - PNCD - Populus angustifolia - 15-20 meter tall tree, single stemmed with slender upright branches forming a narrowly spreading crown. Leaves are deciduous, simple, alternate, lanceolate to ovate lanceolate and rounded at the base. Dark green above and slightly paler beneath. Bark is smooth on upper portions and furrowed into broad flat ridges on older lower portions. Petioles are less than 15mm long (about 1/3 as long as the blade) flattened only near the base. Male and Female flowers are on separate trees. S10 - Oregon grape - PNCD - Mahonia repens - Rhizomatous, low, wintergreen shrub. The leaves are alternate, pinnately compound. The 5-7 leaflets have spine-tipped teeth on the margins. The leaves are holly-like. Flowers are yellow with 6 petals and sepals. Fruits are grape-like. 2
Half-Shrubs, Shrubs and Trees S11 plains cottonwood PNCD Populus deltoides - Cottonwoods are deciduous trees that grow very tall and typically have large trunks. The tree crown is broad and rounded. The bark is greenish grey and smooth when young. When old, the bark is marked with rough, blackened spots and lines. It becomes deeply furrowed and dark grey. The buds are large and "resinous" or "sticky". The resin has a unique fragrance. Leaves are alternate and deltoid. The texture of the leaf will be thick and dark green above and paler underneath. The leaf stalks are rounded. Cottonwoods are usually found near waterways. S12 - ponderosa pine - PNXIP - Pinus ponderosa - height of mature trees can range from 55' to 90'. Needles are 3-5" long with 3 needles in a cluster. The needles usually remain on the stem 3-4 years with the major needle drop in September and October. The cones are pineapple shaped, 3-6" long and take 2 years to mature. Bark is dark brown to nearly black when young and can be cinnamon brown to orange yellow. Deep tap root except on shallow soils where roots often follow cracks. Well adapted to grow on bare rock. S13 Rocky Mountain juniper PNXX Juniperus scopulorum Dioecious shrub or small tree crown getting a pyramidal shape. Leaves are opposite or in whorls of 3, scale like, closely appressed, fleshy, thickened and rounded. Margins entire and smooth, gland on the back (abaxial) of the leaf. Twigs slender, flattened at first then becoming round, bark shreds easily. S14 - rose spp. PNCI Rosa spp. - Rose spp. have stems with modified skin cells called prickles. Leaves are compound and leaflets are arranged odd pinnately. Pink flowers have 5 petals. The fruit (hip) is shiny red. Roses reproduce by seeds. S15 rubber rabbitbrush PNWI Ericameria nauseosa - It is a warm season shrub. The twigs of this plant are erect, flexible, and covered with tangled hair (tomentose). This shrub reproduces by seeds and root sprouts. The inflorescence is a cyme. The flowers are yellowish green. The plant has a unique odor when crushed and is used for browse by wildlife. 3
Half-Shrubs, Shrubs and Trees S16 - silver sagebrush - PNWI - Artemisia cana - densely branched shrub with a rounded crown often forming colonies from extensive rhizomes. Flower heads in perfect terminal leafy panicles, subtended by leaf-like bracts that surpass the head. Leaves are alternate simple, with linear blades and entire margins. Twigs are green to straw colored, with the older stems brown to gray. Very aromatic. S17 - skunkbush sumac - PNCD - Rhus trilobata - Mid sized shrub, excellent for wildlife. Compound leaves are alternate and arranged ternate. Very distinct smell. Red berries and foliage appear in the fall. S18 western snowberry PNCI Symphoricarpos occidentalis - It is a rhizomatous shrub that forms dense thickets. Leaves are opposite and oval or ovate. Leaf margins are mostly entire or irregularly lobed. Petioles are glabrous to pubescent. The flowers are clustered in groups of 6-14 at tips of stems. Flowers are greenish white to purple. The fruits start as white and turn blue to black. S19 - yucca - PNCI - Yucca glauca - Leaves are shaped like a "Spanish saber" or bayonet, and are light green. Flowering stems are long and rise above the leaves. There are many white/green flowers with their parts in threes. Taproot is very fibrous and can be used to make ropes or soap. Seeds are large, flat and black. 4
Forbs F1 - alfalfa - PICV - Medicago sativa - (Pea Family) - A long lived perennial legume. Flowers vary in color from purple to yellow and are borne in loose clusters. Stems are erect and grow from a woody crown. New growth occurs from buds in the crown. Tap root. Leaves are alternately arranged on the stem and are normally trifoliate. F2 American licorice - PNWI - Glycyrrhiza lepidota (Pea family) - This is a rhizomatous forb which is found mostly in disturbed areas, draws, woods, and depressions. Leaves are smooth, alternate and have many leaflets which are odd-pinnate. Flowers are yellowish-white and shaped similar to alfalfa. The seed pod is brown and bur-like. F3 American vetch PNCD Vicia americana (Pea Family) - This forb spreads and climbs by clinging to other vegetation using tendrils (modified leaflets). It is also rhizomatous. Leaves are even-pinnate with the tendril being terminal. There are 8-18 leaflets. Raceme inflorescences develop from the leaf axils. There are 3-10 flowers, with color ranging from white, blue and purple. The fruit is in a bean-like pod, approximately 1 inch long. The pod splits lengthwise to drop its seeds. American vetch is good forage for livestock and decreases with overgrazing. F4 - annual sunflower - ANWV - Helianthus annuus (Aster family) - Erect, coarse, tap-rooted annual with rough-hairy stems. The leaves are mostly alternate, egg-shaped to triangular and entire or toothed. The flower heads are3-6 inches wide and at the ends of the branches. Ray flowers are yellow and the disk flowers are reddish-brown. F5 - arrowleaf balsamroot - PNCI - Balsamorhiza sagittata (Aster Family) - Leaves originate at the base of the plant. Leaves and bracts appear silvery due to dense white, felt-like hair that covers the plant surface. Leaves are large (up to 12 inches long and 6 inches wide) and are shaped like giant arrowheads. Yellow flower heads are solitary on the long stems and resemble sunflowers. 1
Forbs F6 - aster - PNWI - Aster spp. (Aster family) - multi-stemmed erect forb, green leaves, alternate entire leaves. Ray flowers can be white to purple, disk flowers are yellow. F7 bastard toadflax PNCI Comandra umbellata (Sandalwood Family) - Low growing, rhizomatous forb. Has a taproot. Leaves are numerous and arranged alternately. Leaves spiral up and around the stem and give a 3-D appearance. Leaves are gray-green, glabrous and rather thick. Flowers are arranged on cymes with five erect white to pink petal-like sepals. There are no petals. Bastard toadflax is a parasitic plant and gets some of its nutrients and water from other plants root. F8 bitterroot PNCI Lewisia rediviva (Purslane Family) - Low growing plant found on dry prairies to foothill ridges. Flower has about 15 white, pale pink or rose colored petals that are 1.5 to 3 inches wide. Fleshy, succulent leaves wither before flowers emerge in May and June. The bitterroot is the state flower of Montana and named for captain Meriwether Lewis. F9 blue flax PNCI Linum lewisii (Flax Family) - Tap-rooted forb, with few to many stems arising from a woody crown. Stems are simple below, but branch at the tips. Linear leaves are numerous, alternate and crowded on the lower parts of the stems. The inflorescence is a branched raceme. There are five sepals and petals on each flower. Petals are blue. Flowers open in the morning and the petals are generally shed by mid-day. This plant is often used to reclaim disturbed sites, such as those created by road construction. F10 - burdock - BIWV - Arctium spp. (Aster family) - First year produces a rosette of large, cordate, thickly hairy leaves and the second year an erect, many branched coarse stem 3-10' tall. Leaves are alternate, large and broadest at the leaf base. Margins are toothed or wavy, wooly beneath when young, dark green above. Flowers are purple, heads borne in leaf axils or at the end of branches, numerous, clustered, and covered in many slender hooked spines. Native to Europe. 2
Forbs F11 Canada thistle PICVN Cirsium arvense (Aster Family)- A rhizomatous, weed that forms large colonies. It is categorized as a noxious weed in nearly 40 states. Plants are usually 1-3 FT tall. Leaves are dark green, toothed and almost always spiny. Canada thistle is dioecious, with male and female flowers occurring on different plants. The inflorescence is a head with many pink, lavender or purple flowers. The heads are small and there are many heads per seedstem. This thistle favors disturbed sites and flourishes in burned areas. F12 cinquefoil PNCI - Potentilla spp. (Rose Family) - Most species are rhizomatous. Leaves are primarily basal and either pinnately or palmately compound. Flowers have five petals that are cream to bright yellow in color. F13 - cocklebur - AIWVP - Xanthium spp. (Aster family) - erect annual with stem growing 2-4'. Stems are branched, ridged, spotted and very rough. Leaves are alternate, triangular or heart-shaped, rough on both sides and long petioled. Flower heads are small in the axils of upper leaves. Fruits are 1" long, woody with hooked spines and two curved spines at the top and two seeds. Dark brown seeds are flattened and pointed on tips. F14 - common starlily - PNCI - Leucocrinum montanum (Lily Family) - Easily recognizable by its star-shaped white flowers with elongate tubes that appear to grow directly from the basal rosette of narrow, grass-like leaves. Once flowering is completed the entire above ground part of the plant withers away. F15 cudweed sagewort PNWI - Artemisia ludoviciana (Aster Family) Alternate leaves, simple mostly cauline, blades linear to lanceolate or elliptic. Reduced above, margins entire or apically toothed or lobed. Top of the leaves pilose and green to white tomentose, bottom of the leaves white tomentose. Sessile leaves. Erect rhizomatous forb. 3
Forbs F16 curly dock PICV - Rumex crispus (Buckwheat family)- A robust, tap-rooted perennial growing up to 5 feet tall. Leaves are mostly basal with curly or wavy leaf margins. Inflorescence is a spike-like cluster. Flowers are small and in dense, green, terminal clusters. The inflorescence and many times the entire plant will turn brown at maturity. Seeds are enclosed in papery winged structures for easy distribution. Seeds are shiny brown and triangle in shape. F17 curlycup gumweed BNWV Grindelia squarrosa (Aster Family) - Forb with a taproot. Reproduces by seeds. It is a biennial. Leaves are alternate, simple and thick. The leaves are also dotted with characteristic glands. The inflorescence can be a solitary head or a loose corymb. The flowers are perfect and yellow. The heads have green bracts that are curved down. The plant produces a sticky resin that makes it worthless to livestock. F18 - dandelion - PICV -Taraxacum officinale (Aster family)- Long fleshy, taproot and reproduces by seeds. Leaves are numerous in a basal rosette and are lobed and toothed. Leaves are runcinate-shaped. The inflorescence is a head. There is on head per branchless stem. the branchless stem of a dandelion is called a "scape". Yellow flowers turn white when mature. the white bristles and the attached brown seeds are easily detached from the receptacle by the wind. F19 - dense clubmoss - PNXI - Selaginella densa (Selaginella family) - Dense clubmoss is from the spike moss family. It is a pteridophyte that reproduces by spores. It greens up whenever there is moisture, so it doesn't officially have a season. Clubmoss is usually less than 1" in height and forms dense mats. the root system is shallow, which allows the plant to absorb water from light rain showers. Mechanical treatment is often recommended for clubmoss infestations. F20 dotted gayfeather PNWD Liatris punctata (Aster Family) - Has a corm (bulb-like rootstalk). Reproduces by seed and by the corm. The stem is erect and generally un-branched. Leaves are alternate, simple and linear-shaped. The leaf surface is dotted with pits. The inflorescence is a spike-like head. Flowers are pinkish-purple and number 4-8 per head. The pappus consists of white, feathery bristles. 4
Forbs F21 green Sagewort PNWI Artemisia dracunculus (Aster Family) A forb with a tap root. Has several stems that grow to 2 ft. tall. Leaves are simple, narrow, entire with 1 to 3 pairs of linear basal lobes, mostly glabrous and rather dark green. Flowers in a narrow panicle of racemose branches bearing numerous greenish heads with only the outer florets fertile. This plant does not have much forage value, and increases as rangeland health decreases. F22 - ground plum milkvetch PNCD Astragalus crassicarpus (Pea Family) - Low spreading thick taproot, leaves are odd pinnate, purple to pinkish flowers, plump green or red tinged fruits. F23 hairy goldenaster PNWI Heterotheca villosa (Aster Family) - Has a woody taproot. Stems are erect, clustered and arise from a woody crown. Leaves are alternate, simple and are shaped linear to oblanceolate. Leaves are rough with short hairs and leaf margins are ciliate. Inflorescence is a head arranged in a corymb or cyme. There are 3-30 heads per branch. Ray and disk flowers are yellow-colored. F24 - heartleaf arnica - PNCI - Arnica cordifolia (Aster Family) - Heartleaf arnica is a native, perennial herb 6 to 24 inches (15-60 cm)tall, with upright stems arising singly from long, slender, creeping rhizomes. Rhizomes grow laterally 0.4 to 0.8 inches (1-2 cm) below the soil surface. Root depths of 24 inches (60.9 cm) have been recorded in Montana. Heartleaf arnica occurs in boreal and cool temperate climates. It is commonly found in open-canopy coniferous forests on high elevation watershedding sites. It often inhabits exposed, moderately dry mineral soils, but occurs on a variety of soil types. F25 Hood s phlox PNCI Phlox hoodii (Phlox Family) - A low, matforming forb that grows only 2-8 cm high. Leaves are opposite and clustered. They are linear-shaped, stiff and sharp-tipped. Leaves often have cobwebby hairs at the axils. Inflorescence is a solitary white flower at the stem tip. 5
Forbs F26 houndstongue BICVN Cynoglossum officinale (Borage Family) - A robust, woody biennial. Has a thick, carrot-like taproot. The stem is solitary and only branched at the inflorescence. The stem has soft hairs, but is nearly smooth at the base. The lower leaves have petioles nearly as long as the leaf. The blades are slightly rough with soft hairs. The inflorescence is a raceme. Flowers are reddish-purple. Each flower has five sepals joined together at the base to form a star. The petals are fused in a funnel-shape. Seeds are covered with short, barbed prickles. This is a noxious weed in Montana. F27 leafy spurge PICVN Euphorbia esula (Spurge Family) - Has aggressive, extensive rhizomes. Stems are filled with milk-like latex. Leaves are alternate and linear, with one prominent vein. Stems are thickly clustered. Stems and leaves are hairless. Flowers are yellowish-green, and arranged in an umbel. The flowers have paired heart-shaped yellow-green bracts. Flowers lack petals. Several male flowers surround one female. Each seed capsule produces three seeds. The deep roots make this plant difficult to manage and/or eradicate. F28 low larkspur PNCIP Delphinium bicolor (Buttercup Family) - A poisonous plant that can cause livestock loss. Larkspur has a tap-root. Leaves are simple, but palmately divided. The flowers are purple and arranged in a raceme. There is a spur on the flower that is formed by one of the sepals. Three pods eventually develop at the site of each flower. #REF! F29 - lupine - PNCIP - Lupinus spp. (Pea family) - Lupine has a taproot. Leaves are palmate, compound and divided into 5 to 7 finger-like leaflets. It has blue or dark purple flowers; occasionally white, pink or yellow. The flowers are arranged in racemes. Lupine can be poisonous. Hairy pods develop at each flower. F30 meadow deathcamas PNCIP Zygadenus venenosus (Lily Family) - An erect perennial forb with a bulbous root. Leaves are mostly basal and linear. The leaves are strongly folded at the base. Inflorescence is a raceme. Their flowers are smaller and stem denser than showy deathcamas. White to yellowish-white are the primary colors of the flowers. Their stamens are longer than the petals. This plant is one of the more poisonous plants of the region. 6
Forbs F31 - milkvetch PNCI Astragalus spp. (Pea Family) Low growing taprooted perennials with compactly branched crowns. Stems are generally short and spreading to prostrate, much overtopped by leaves and peduncles. Herbage varies from bright green to gray-green to whitish. Most astragalus species will have hair, some are covered with dense pubescence. The hair is often an identification feature. Leaves are odd-pinnate. Flowers bloom in racemes on axillary peduncles. Flower color ranges from white to yellow to rose purple. Flowers are tubular with the typical wing and keel petals. F32 Missouri goldenrod PNWI Solidago missouriensis (Aster Family) - Has well-developed rhizomes and often grows in patches. Sometimes the rhizomes produce leafy rosettes without seedheads. This can be confusing. Stems are single and colored brown towards the base. The lower leaves grow the largest. The upper leaves are much smaller. Leaf blades are lanceolateshaped. There are 3 main veins/nerves per leaf. Most leaf margins are entire. However, the larger, older leaves may be toothed. There are many heads in a panicle inflorescence. The branches of the inflorescence lean/arch to one side. The heads bear golden ray and disk flowers. F33 penstemon PNCI Penstemon spp. (Figwort Family) - There are many different species in the Genus Penstemon. Penstemons generally have fibrous roots and opposite leaves. Leaf shapes may vary greatly between species. Flowers grow in narrow panicles. The petals are tubular with 5 lobes. 2 lobes point upwards, while three face down. Seeds form in capsules. You will often notice the old capsules the following year. Penstemons are utilized primarily by sheep and wildlife. F34 - prairie coneflower - PNWI - Ratibida columnifera (Aster family) - Has a taproot and grows form a woody, branched crown. Stems turn brown with maturity and are deeply veined (ribbed). Leaves are simple, pinnately divided and arranged alternately. Leaves have hirsute hair on the surfaces. The inflorescence is an unusual-shaped head. The number of heads varies with each plant. Disk flowers are arranged on a receptacle that looks like a cylinder. The ray flowers are long, yellow and turn downward. Sometimes petals are colored maroon. Prairie coneflower is considered fair forage for livestock. 7
Forbs F35 prairie onion PNCI Allium textile (Lily Family) - Prairie onion has a bulb for a storage structure. The bulb tastes and smells like an onion you would buy in a store. This plant has historically been utilized as a seasoning for foods. Prairie onion has linear, green leaves that arise from the base. The leaves are flat or channeled on the upper surfaces. The flowering stem has an umbel inflorescence. Flowers are initially enclosed in a white membrane, which is easy to observe. Be careful when picking wild onions to eat. The plant is often confused with death camas, which is very poisonous. F36 - prairie thermopsis - PNCI - Thermopsis rhombifolia - (Pea family) - Herbaceous plant growing from stout rootstocks. Can grow 6-12" tall. Showy, early flowering plant has many flowers in short, terminal racemes. Bean-shaped pods curve to form a half circle at maturity. Leaves are alternate, palmately trifoliate and with 2 leaflet stipules at the base. F37 - purple prairie clover - PNWD - Dalea purpurea - (Pea family) - Warm season legume which can grow up to 1' tall. Several stems may grow from a single base. The flowers are pinkish-purple on elongated spikes. The flower head at the end of a wiry stem is cylindrical, with a fringe of rosy petals on a partly bare core. Leaves are divided into 3-5 narrow leaflets with may be sparingly hairy. May cause bloat in cattle, but it is seldom abundant enough to be a problem. F38 pussytoes PNCI Antennaria spp. (Aster Family) Very robust. The bract tips are bright white or seldom dull white or pinkish, dry corollas of female florets usually 5-8 mm long. F39 - rush skeletonweed - PNWI - Lygodesmia juncea (Aster family) - Perennial, 1 to 4 feet tall. Stems usually have downwardly ben coarse hairs, smooth stems above 4 to 6 inches. Leaves form in a basal rosette, sharply toothed and wither as the flower stem develops. Leaves of the stem are inconspicuous, narrow and entire. Flowering heads are scattered on branches and are yellow. 8
Forbs F40 salsify BICV Tragopogon dubius (Aster family) - Because of its linear leaves, salsify often looks like grass early in the spring. However, its milky stem gives it away. It has a tap-root and a long hollow stem that is tipped with a head inflorescence. The ray flowers are yellow and gradually mature into a puffball. The seeds are attached to bristly parachutes that float in the wind. F41 scarlet globemallow PNWI Sphaeralcea coccinea (Mallow Family) - A rhizomatous, low-growing forb. The entire plant is covered with star-shaped, stellate hairs. Leaves are simple and arranged alternately. The leaves are deeply divided. Orange flowers appear about this time of year. The flowers have five petals and are arranged in racemes. This plant is very drought resistant, because it can shed its leaves. It increases with overgrazing, and has fair forage value to livestock. Native Americans used this plant as medicine to treat burns. F42 - sego or mariposa lily - PNCD - Calochortus nuttallii (Lily Family) - This plant grows 6-18 tall, arising from an odorless, onion-like bulb. It blooms early, producing a tulip-like flower with 3 large cream-colored petals. Before flowering, the plant might be confused with death camas, but the leaf cross-section is U-shaped, unlike death camas which has a V-shaped leaf cross section. F43 - slimflower scurfpea - PNWI - Psoralidium tenuiflorum (Pea Family) - Flowers are perfect blue to purple and in terminal racemes. Alternate leaves palmately compound, divided into 3 leaflets. Leaflets linearoblanceolate to obovate. Entire margins. Petioles mostly shorter than the leaflets. Found in dry plains, prairies, and open woods. Adapted to a broad range of soils. F44- spotted knapweed P/BIWVN Centaurea stoebe (Aster Family) Spotted knapweed aggressively invades rangelands. It does not have rhizomes, so it relies on seeds for reproduction. It is a biennial, so the first year of growth it forms a rosette. The leaves are pinnately divided. The pink/purple flowers are in heads. There are only disk flowers in the heads. The bracts on the flower head are tipped/ spotted with black. 9
Forbs F45 - tumble mustard - AICV - Sisymbrium altissimum (Mustard Family) - winter annual. Raceme inflorescence of perfect flowers. Thick taproot. Fruit is a silique. Rounded growth form freely branching from a single basal stem. Leaves are long and narrow. F46- wavyleaf thistle P/BNWV Cirsium undulatum (Aster Family) - Has a taproot. Grows a rosette the first year and then bolts during the second. It has stout stems with a single head inflorescence at the tops. The pink/purple flowers are all disk. The leaves have wavy, toothed margins. There are spines at the tips of the teeth. The leaves appear gray because they are covered with woolly hair. Leaves are largest at the base of the plant. Horses and wildlife may eat the seedheads. F47 - western yarrow PNWI Achillea millefolium (Aster Family) - A rhizomatous forb. The entire plant is covered with hair. There can be one to several stems per plant. Leaves are simple, pinnately dissected and alternately arranged. The leaves are fern-like. The inflorescence is a corymb. This forb was used in a poultice to treat various injuries and ailments. It has a unique odor. Some kids think it smells like Noxzema. Cattle, sheep and wildlife utilize this forb a little bit during the growing season. F48 - white point loco - PNCIP - Oxytropis sericea (Pea family) - Acaulescent with a taproot, flowers April to August. Racemes are pinkish purple white not uncommon. Keel petal with an abrupt point. Leaves are alternate odd pinnately compound. F49 wild parsley PNCI Musineon divaricatum (Carrot Family) Low growing, essentially stemless perennials. Grown from a slender to thickened taproot, plants celery scented when crushed. Leaves arising from a simple or branched crown, resembling those of a carrot, the blades bipinnate and with the ultimate divisions pinnately dissected. Dull gray-green and pubescent. Umbels of numerous, tiny yellow flowers. Fruits not flattened. 10
Forbs F50 - woolly mullein - BIWV - Verbascum thapsus (Figwort family) - A tap rooted forb with wooly or felt-like (hairy) leaves. Basal first year leaves, and alternating (2nd year leaves), lance shaped leaves are located on the upper stem. Single stem can be at least 3 feet tall. Flowers are bright yellow, with 5 lobes and are arranged in dense spike like clusters. Found on disturbed sites. F51 - yellow alyssum - AICV - Alyssum alyssoides (Mustard family) - Freely branched erect annual, covered with flat, star-shaped hairs. Leaves are alternate, entire, and narrowly oblanceolate. Flowers are numerous in an elongate narrow cluster. Flower stalks are spreading. Flowers May- July. F52 yellow sweetclover BICV Melilotus officinalis (Pea Family) - A tap-rooted biennial that is much-branched. It produces a rosette the first year. The second year it flowers. The leaflets are toothed all around the edge. Yellow flowers develop in racemes. Sweetclover grows whenever conditions are favorable. Moldy sweetclover hay can be very toxic to livestock. 11